Good BMW Mechanics

[zoik]

I am posting this for a friend in need of a good BMW mechanic. I've searched the forum and there are a few threads but most of them don't contain a lot of information. Can you guys please post me a name of a place, contact name to someone you guys deal with (if applicable), phone number, and address of some of the places.

maybe this could even be a sticky just for others future reference.

Thanks!

[AllGoNoShow]

Search dude, we are not allowed to post addresses and contact info if they are not a sponsor, that is why not much is said all the time. If your too lazy to find who's good then goto superpages.ca and look up the address then that's your own fault.

This topic has been discussed more then enough times:closed:

[zoik]

Originally posted by AllGoNoShow
Search dude, we are not allowed to post addresses and contact info if they are not a sponsor, that is why not much is said all the time. If your too lazy to find who's good then goto superpages.ca and look up the address then that's your own fault.

This topic has been discussed more then enough times:closed:

thanks for clarifying why the information is limited. i've done a search and it only comes up with 6 threads. and typing things into superpages.ca with a typo doesn't help either. so forget about it.

MOD please close!

[AllGoNoShow]

Don't know how a typo can be for Alpine Autoworks or Shenni's Autotrend, they work fine for me and that's how everyone spells them.

[interlude]

Originally posted by AllGoNoShow
Don't know how a typo can be for Alpine Autoworks or Shenni's Autotrend, they work fine for me and that's how everyone spells them.

Dude.. why dont u stop being an asshole and actually read his post. He's looking for names of shops..

you just told him to use search and type in alpine and shenni. How does that make sense if hes looking for names??


Back to the thread.. shenni worked on my 328ci.. I havent decided on which mechanic to bring my new car to. I've heard good things about alpine.. but since my experiences at Shenni's were good.. I will most likely go back to him.

Hope that helps

[2m0a0x2]

You guys are all typing sheNi wrong.

One N. Respect. And by that, I mean he's good, so respect him by typing his name correctly.

:nut:

[Justing]

Originally posted by AllGoNoShow
Don't know how a typo can be for Alpine Autoworks or Shenni's Autotrend, they work fine for me and that's how everyone spells them.



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

he cant find them because thats not how they are spelled.
alpine autoWERKS and sheNi

Zoik, try that spelling in yellowpages.ca and you'll have no problem

my personal recommendation, Shenis:thumbsup:

[robpark]

Another nod for Sheni... been going there for more than 2 years now and have never had a reason to complain...ever. You can trust them.

[G-ZUS]

Sheni's has a good rep, try Lo Pro

[AllGoNoShow]

Originally posted by Justing




:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

he cant find them because thats not how they are spelled.
alpine autoWERKS and sheNi

Zoik, try that spelling in yellowpages.ca and you'll have no problem

my personal recommendation, Shenis:thumbsup:

meh, never noticed since superpages.ca shows it, just never read it in detail. It's still been outlined numerous times in other threads.

[rodman71]

Z,

Yeah Sheni's is great. They really love Bimmers and are reasonable and honest. Never had a problem with them.

If you're having problems looking them up try www.maps.google.com

Type in sheni's autotrend, calgary

It will show you everything you need to know. With a map

[zoik]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help!

[TNation]

The best mechanic in town, and ZR Auto's mechanic is a guy who runs his own shop here in Calgary. Kuk's Shop is where to go for your BMW! He's very reasonable and he does an exceptional job.

[e30 2 envy]

Or you can go to Sheni's website and under the about us tab it has a map and address and stuff.

MOD EDIT: No contact info allowed for non-sponsors, use PM

[colt22]

In my opinion, Sheni's work has be declining due to being overly busy. Hes got a bunch of guys quitting on him all the time while work orders rapidly increase and as a result the quality of his work has declined.

On my old 92 325is a few years ago the differential mounts came loose from the subframe. This meant it had to be re welded. The car would make an over obvious clicking sound while driving.

Sheni looked at it then changed the u joint and driveshaft. He clearly did not test the car to make sure it was good, because when I got it back the problem sitll existed. He still charged for the drive shaft and u joint assembly.


Most of my experiences with sheni have been positive so I will not be biased because of this one occurrence but the guy really does need more help so he can spend more time and retain the quality of work he once produced when he was less busy. Finding good help shouldn't be to hard with the job market flooded with job seekers.


That being said I am in search of a new mechanic. Can anyone tell me more about alpine autowerks? what is the rate and how good is the work?

[topher91]

Going to Vitek Autoworks now. Very trust worthy guy. Used to work for BMW Gallery as a Certified tech and now is on his own.

VERY reasonable rates and maybe the most honest mechanic I personally met...

[colt22]

Another interesting post from e46 fanatics, I can relate...:


Sheni's Auto Trend sucks donkey balls i used to be a regular until i needed to go in multiple times for a job to be done properly. heres just a few of the jobs i was unimpressed with: 1) i went in with my old e36 to get a valve cover gasket replaced... after 4 times of the gasket blowing out on me and oil spraying all over. the day ends and i find i now have a cracked headgasket. i would still have my old car if it wasnt for him. i dont expect my car to come out in worse condidtion than it did going in. 2) i asked him why my headlight washers werent working and asked him to diagnose it for me. he said it was the telescopes and nozzels that were broken so he ordered them for me. turns out it was actually my pump! he charged me 250 for parts i didnt need and 50 for diagnosing it. 300 dollars gone for NOTHING. he wouldnt even let me F'in return it 3) one day he got his new BMW diagnostics tool. thats the day i go in to get my alarm activated... i figuered he'd be cheaper than the dealership so i figuered why not. i walked out 10 mins later with my bill written up with my alarm all set and i asked him how much his new toy ran him. $13000. WOW is all i had to say. next i look at my bill and he had charged me an 1 hrs labour (100/hr). WHY?!?!!. his EXACT words were "gotta pay for it somehow..." before realizing what he said and caught his tounge he'll screw you whenever he can. sh!t like... "oh i changed this too because i thought it was worn.... pay me" "uhh you never got my consent prior to proceeding and you have no way to prove it was actually changed" robbing shady mofo is all i have to say. go find a new mechanic if your going to Sheni

[colt22]

Originally posted by topher91
Going to Vitek Autoworks now. Very trust worthy guy. Used to work for BMW Gallery as a Certified tech and now is on his own.

VERY reasonable rates and maybe the most honest mechanic I personally met...

This is where I will be going from now on. DDM coilovers will be my first job for him.

[Redlyne_jr]

www.alpineautowerks.com;)

[ACS-e36]

Sheni used f'in zip ties on my cv boots rather than metal clamps. Cv boots lost grease constantly. I had confronted him and he denied that was his work. Don't go to that sh!t shack

[.civictyper.]

Sheni's + 1
Great guy,
Know's his beemers
Won't dick you around.

[zipdoa]

Originally posted by topher91
Going to Vitek Autoworks now. Very trust worthy guy. Used to work for BMW Gallery as a Certified tech and now is on his own.

VERY reasonable rates and maybe the most honest mechanic I personally met...
+1 I used to work with Vitek at the gallery, awesome dude!

[j0nblayz]

alpine autowerks!! brought my car every time and they do amazing work, one of the only shops i actually trust.

[rumeo]

Kuks shop...

[00redLUDE]

Originally posted by topher91
Going to Vitek Autoworks now. Very trust worthy guy. Used to work for BMW Gallery as a Certified tech and now is on his own.

VERY reasonable rates and maybe the most honest mechanic I personally met...

Do you take your e90 to Vitek or do you have a older BMW you take to him?

[topher91]

Originally posted by 00redLUDE


Do you take your e90 to Vitek or do you have a older BMW you take to him?

I have an older 2001 325ci I take there and I will also take the e90 when the warranty is done.

[Bimmer88]

I heard equal of bad things and good things from Sheni's... but really I just DIY in my garage since I have all the tools...

When you want shit done right you gotta do it yourself. And it would be helpful if you or your buddy is a mechanic ;)

and I heard Sheni's rip people off... like over charge etc...

[colt22]

Originally posted by Bimmer88
I heard equal of bad things and good things from Sheni's... but really I just DIY in my garage since I have all the tools...

When you want shit done right you gotta do it yourself. And it would be helpful if you or your buddy is a mechanic ;)

and I heard Sheni's rip people off... like over charge etc...

case of beer for p/s hoses replacement?
:rofl:

[DC328is]

-1 for sheni.

over charges, steals shit like my modified valve cover screws !!! :@

has to redo things more than once.

expensive parts, expensive labor. shady ass mofo

[bspot]

Bumping this to mention how thoroughly impressed I am with Vitek. This guy is straight up honest. After needing a ton of front end work on our car (took it to him for control arms, bushings, CV boots, sway bar end links, and bearings) the starter died 2 weeks later. Obviously unrelated, but bad luck. He felt bad for us and quoted a ridiculously reasonable price to do the starter. It wasn't that far off of half of what Sheni quoted for a starter. Luckily I was able to get it myself, so I didn't have to take him up on it.

Oh, and his part prices are really reasonable, and if you can get it cheaper online he has no problem with you doing so.

I can't say enough about how good his shop has been to us.

[BokCh0y]

I goto motorwerkes by Chinook and deal with Parm.

[cloud7]

Has anyone been to Formula Auto Services to get work done on their Bimmers. I know the owner owns a few older BMWs and he has formal training in repairing BMW.

[Clever]

I have an E34 that I have posted on Kijiji, today I received an email saying that I'm hurting the sale of my car because I mentioned that I had work done at Sheni's. According to this guy Sheni's has screwed him and several of his friends.

Not sure what it was about and wanted to ask the guy if he could elaborate but his email is deactivated or probably sent from a fake email.

I have been working on my e34 lately and haven't been to any shops, so I'm kinda out of loop any validity to this?

I know there are a few shops like Astra and Formula, any feedback on these guys?


Thanks.

[JustinMCS]

I will say a big +1 to Vitek. I had a MINI Cooper S before and wanted him to do something simple (serpentine belt) and i brought him the part and he quoted on labour and how long it will take.

Took him faster than he thought so he actually charged me less. Was shocked. Great service and great shop.

[anarchy]

Originally posted by JustinMCS
I will say a big +1 to Vitek. I had a MINI Cooper S before and wanted him to do something simple (serpentine belt) and i brought him the part and he quoted on labour and how long it will take.

Took him faster than he thought so he actually charged me less. Was shocked. Great service and great shop.
+1 for Vitek as well. He was awesome when I had my 3 series. They were very honest, did great work, had reasonable rates and were overall very nice and professional guys.

Would absolutely recommend him.

[slick2404]

+1 for Vitek, just tought to get an appointment sometimes. Shows how good he is I guess.

I'd also recommend Eric @ Zero Limit Auto. He opened up his own shop recently, smart honest guy :thumbsup:

[DEATH2000]

Go to Nurburging Ltd by Chinook LRT. Ask for Nick.

Fantastic guy and work. Hes building an M50 turbo'd E30.

[Clever]

Thanks guys, I need to get a leak in the rear transmission fixed, I'll make some phone calls next week.

[DEATH2000]

Originally posted by Clever
Thanks guys, I need to get a leak in the rear transmission fixed, I'll make some phone calls next week.
The pan gasket or the shift seal?

[Clever]

Originally posted by DEATH2000

The pan gasket or the shift seal?

Output shaft.

[Superman403]

Originally posted by DEATH2000
Go to Nurburging Ltd by Chinook LRT. Ask for Nick.

Fantastic guy and work. Hes building an M50 turbo'd E30.

Just had the worse experience here.
Left a review on yelp (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/nurburgring-calgary?hrid=PfuXAdK9WAHJ6B_xYn_exw)

[BMDUBS]

Viteks Autoworks. Former factory trained BMW mechanics, fair price. I just spoke to the owner as they have been tough to get an appointment but they have hired several great techs they can stand behind just recently alleviating this problem. I recommend these guys /thread

[Dumbass17]

+1 for Vitek.
Had to get work done twice and the owner seems to be a straight up, honest, knowledgeable guy

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Superman403


Just had the worse experience here.
Left a review on yelp (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/nurburgring-calgary?hrid=PfuXAdK9WAHJ6B_xYn_exw)

Bump, also recently had a bad experience with Nurburgring Ltd.

[visualk]

When recommending these shops are these recommendations for all series of BMW''s? If you have an X6 M or a 750i would you still recommend these shops?

[RickDaTuner]

I'll throw in Raymond Calagui @ Motorwerkes.

Used to work with him at Calgary BMW

[zerofighter]

Vitek's for sure.

[artieg30]

I have to chime in here and give my recommendation for a mechanic to Vitek's. I've been taking my 2002 E39 540 to him the last couple months to bring the car back to it's former glory and I have to say everyone at the shop has just been outstanding.

Friendly, prompt, good shop rates, and overall honest guys is how I would describe Vitek's. I can't say enough good things about these guys, I will definitely be giving them my business for any BMW I own going forward.

[rx7boi]

If I may ask, how are BMW's when it comes to maintenance and repairs?

What does it typically take to keep a BMW out of a $$$ repair bill? Stringent oil change and interval services?

I've only ever owned Japanese cars and I find myself wanting to try out the German market. All I hear is how expensive and unreliable things are.

[CLiVE]

Originally posted by rx7boi
If I may ask, how are BMW's when it comes to maintenance and repairs?

What does it typically take to keep a BMW out of a $$$ repair bill? Stringent oil change and interval services?

I've only ever owned Japanese cars and I find myself wanting to try out the German market. All I hear is how expensive and unreliable things are.

After I added up the bills on my 3 series (E46), and they totalled $4400 for the year....I went and bought my first Honda. I've owned 3 Hondas and a Ford since.

Just my experience though. :dunno:

[Buster]

Originally posted by rx7boi
If I may ask, how are BMW's when it comes to maintenance and repairs?

What does it typically take to keep a BMW out of a $$$ repair bill? Stringent oil change and interval services?

I've only ever owned Japanese cars and I find myself wanting to try out the German market. All I hear is how expensive and unreliable things are.

I've owned a few. Probably won't again.

Great driving experience, and the interior fit and finish feels high quality. Mechanically? I think the cars are poor quality. They have consistently had major problems over the years.

- The fuel pump fiasco
- VANOS bullshit over the years
- the electric water pump on almost all of the N54/N55 engines, that blows up at 60k like clockwork

The last straw for me was the way BMW ignored the sunroof drainage issue on my 535 wagon. It basically existed on all of the cars. It was a design flaw - and BMW's bean counters decided the head-in-the-sand approach was the most cost effective for them and refused to honor warranty claims on the subsequent flooding. As far as I could tell, the problem would exist in 100% of the cars, to some degree or another. At its worst, the water would drain into the rear spare tire storage area and fill up there - which is also where the 8 or so computers running the car were also placed. Bills for repair were 12-15 thousand bucks.

I haven't owned a BMW since.

[rx7boi]

I think I puked a little bit.

[killramos]

I think they are\ the same as any car these days, BMW parts are definitely expensive when things do go wrong. But i also see a ton of old BMW's on the road still.

My toyota? 2500 dollar repair bills every other year for this or that. Electrical issues galore and had a parasitic draw problem that left me stranded once.

My honda? Went through 2 transmissions in the time we owned it

My VW? Was in for 6k of warranty work in the 2 years I owned it.

My Ford? Tires and fluids. its a POS, but it works every time.

My BMW is still under warranty so not really fair comparison but had one electrical problem caused by a corroded sensor. GOing in for a recall tomorrow. That's it and none at cost to me. Always started and always gets me where I am going.

I personally think all modern cars are nightmares to fix, its not so simple as this brand is good and that is bad. If you want to know that just look at the issues/hundred vehicles statistics that always show lexus and porsche on top...

[Buster]

I'm not talking personal/anecdotal. I'm talking about publicly recognized forum-fodder problems.

The only one I can think of -off the top of my head- with Porsche is the IMS issue. And that is almost certainly a very over-rated problem.

BMW has those types of things cropping up constantly.

I don't believe you can throw other manufacturers in that same bin. Although my Mercedes experience has been an interesting experiment in proving the value of an extended warranty.

[shakalaka]

I don't think my opinion is worth as much in this instance since I don't keep the cars long enough, but I personally have never had any issues with any of my BMW's, outside of regular maintenance and one recall. :dunno:

[max_boost]

Bmw 2013 328x transfer case outside of warranty $6k lol although I'm sure non dealer would be cheaper but thank god for warranty lol

[rx7boi]

Originally posted by max_boost
Bmw 2013 328x transfer case outside of warranty $6k lol although I'm sure non dealer would be cheaper but thank god for warranty lol

Damn :nut: :nut:

I was actually looking at some 328i as well.

Time to buy a civic and live the regular life.......lol

[killramos]

Well on the topic i just call a call saying my battery failed their test and I get a new one free. Thank god i brought the car in at -25C :rofl:

I think those BMW AGM's are crack money too if i recall correctly.

[rx7boi]

My coworker said the same thing about the battery on his BMW as well.

He assumes that it's because of all the electronics in the car and when he bought the car the dealer tried to upsell him on a trickle charger for like $500 or something haha.

Now he always gets a low battery light on the dash.

[Buster]

IIRC the battery in my 5 series was something like $800.

[killramos]

Personally i think its a design flaw for cold climates, battery is in the floor of the trunk so it literally never thaws in the winter unless you park it in a heated parkade. No shit the battery isn't going to charge properly at -25C and will degrade quickly. At least most cars the engine heat thaws it out a bit so it can build a charge while you drive.

Though it has admittedly never actually not started.

[Dumbass17]

After owning my X5 for two years (and selling it a few months ago, thankfully) I'll never buy another bmw. I'd rather drive something based completely on reliability.

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by killramos
Personally i think its a design flaw for cold climates, battery is in the floor of the trunk so it literally never thaws in the winter unless you park it in a heated parkade. No shit the battery isn't going to charge properly at -25C and will degrade quickly. At least most cars the engine heat thaws it out a bit so it can build a charge while you drive.

Though it has admittedly never actually not started.


Do you throw your car on a tender while its parked in your garage?

[killramos]

I do not, but I should. Especially now that I have a new battery.

I DD it so it isn't usually an issue. But below -20 or so I start getting the nasty messages.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by rx7boi


Damn :nut: :nut:

I was actually looking at some 328i as well.

Time to buy a civic and live the regular life.......lol lol that's my plan to live the regular life now. It was fun while it lasted. :rofl:

We have next gen Beyond Ballers to step up. :bigpimp:

[Hallowed_point]

Originally posted by killramos
Personally i think its a design flaw for cold climates, battery is in the floor of the trunk so it literally never thaws in the winter unless you park it in a heated parkade. No shit the battery isn't going to charge properly at -25C and will degrade quickly. At least most cars the engine heat thaws it out a bit so it can build a charge while you drive.

Though it has admittedly never actually not started. Is that for weight dist? Or just to be funky and German?

[killramos]

I think so. Also makes room in engine bay. No spare back there so it's an easy relocation. Still think it's not a bright idea.

[mzdspd]

Originally posted by Hallowed_point
Is that for weight dist? Or just to be funky and German?

It is for weight distribution.. Lots of american cars have the battery in the trunk. I have two cars (GM) with the batteries in the trunk and neither of them have specific issues related to the battery being in the trunk. In fact, it is easier to access the battery if i need to replace it.

[RickDaTuner]

Not to call anyone out, but BMW places the battery in the rear right wheel well area for Weight distribution.

A charged battery can also go to -70c, and only to -10c completely discharged before it fully freezes.

BMW batteries don't last very long due to the nature of the BMW control modules power consumption.
A car sitting with the key in and engine off, can draw as much as 40 amps, this in turn causes harsh charge and discharge cycles which leads to plate sulphation, and dramatically reduces its life.
For comparison most cars draw about 30-35 amps while running, in those instances the alternator takes care of the electrical load, and allows the battery to act a buffer.

BMW modules all act like mini computers, they all have their own processor, and programmed lines of logic. Each module may draw up to 2 amps of power, but being that some BMW cars have over 100 individual modules, the power consumption really adds up.
Almost all other automobiles modules work off an eprrom logic chip, which uses far less power.

One of things you can do to increase battery life in a Beemer is to buy the biggest battery available for the car, and also make sure its an AGM.
Some cars are starting to come with NiFe Batteries, but require its own charge control, and are pretty expensive.

Ford was also shipping out Li-ion batteries on some of the transits as well, but because of shipping regulations, you can't buy them form the dealer.

It was mentioned, but it is a really good idea to use a trickle charger overnight, and especially if you don't plan to use you vehicle for a few days.

[killramos]

Yea mines a giant AGM. New M3/4 are LiIon if I remember correctly.

I know I should use a charger at least in the cold. Will look into picking up one of the new CTeK ones (which the BMW charger is just a rebrand of).

It helps that I don't use the start stop function but the alternator still decouples a ton on these efficient dynamics cars.

[Buster]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner
Not to call anyone out, but BMW places the battery in the rear right wheel well area for Weight distribution.

A charged battery can also go to -70c, and only to -10c completely discharged before it fully freezes.

BMW batteries don't last very long due to the nature of the BMW control modules power consumption.
A car sitting with the key in and engine off, can draw as much as 40 amps, this in turn causes harsh charge and discharge cycles which leads to plate sulphation, and dramatically reduces its life.
For comparison most cars draw about 30-35 amps while running, in those instances the alternator takes care of the electrical load, and allows the battery to act a buffer.

BMW modules all act like mini computers, they all have their own processor, and programmed lines of logic. Each module may draw up to 2 amps of power, but being that some BMW cars have over 100 individual modules, the power consumption really adds up.
Almost all other automobiles modules work off an eprrom logic chip, which uses far less power.

One of things you can do to increase battery life in a Beemer is to buy the biggest battery available for the car, and also make sure its an AGM.
Some cars are starting to come with NiFe Batteries, but require its own charge control, and are pretty expensive.

Ford was also shipping out Li-ion batteries on some of the transits as well, but because of shipping regulations, you can't buy them form the dealer.

It was mentioned, but it is a really good idea to use a trickle charger overnight, and especially if you don't plan to use you vehicle for a few days.

Not making a case for modern BMWs here. Given the advancements that competitors have made in the markeplace on BMW in recent years (ATS-V vs M cars, for instance), a lot of this stuff is inexcusable.

A wise man once told me to never knock another man's hustle. I usually extend that to not knocking other peoples' cars. But...

Also, the weight distribution thing: our GL350 also hs the battery in the back. And that thing is so heavy you could probably sit a water buffalo on the hood and not make an appreciable difference in distribution. (Also, if these batteries are so heavy, then I would think that putting on on the SIDE in the back would also cause issues.) I think it's probably more of a packaging thing. How much do the cables weight to get the connection up front, anyway?

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by Buster


Not making a case for modern BMWs here. Given the advancements that competitors have made in the markeplace on BMW in recent years (ATS-V vs M cars, for instance), a lot of this stuff is inexcusable.

A wise man once told me to never knock another man's hustle. I usually extend that to not knocking other peoples' cars. But...

Also, the weight distribution thing: our GL350 also hs the battery in the back. And that thing is so heavy you could probably sit a water buffalo on the hood and not make an appreciable difference in distribution. (Also, if these batteries are so heavy, then I would think that putting on on the SIDE in the back would also cause issues.) I think it's probably more of a packaging thing. How much do the cables weight to get the connection up front, anyway?

One of the biggest selling points of performance for Beemers is a perfect or near perfect 50/50 weight distribution. All BMWs are built around this feature.

I personally don't see the power consumption of these cars as a crutch, the newer electronics in them are very intelligent and do much more than the consumer is aware of. I think the fault lies in current battery technology, these cars would also benefit from regenative braking, but the cost to add that would make it an unfavourable option.

The cable that runs from the back to the distribution block weighs less than 5lbs,

[killramos]

New battery already throwing a discharge code lmao. Even after driving it around for a couple hours. BMW's loss, free battery for me. Its just too cold to get perfect voltage.

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by killramos
New battery already throwing a discharge code lmao. Even after driving it around for a couple hours. BMW's loss, free battery for me. Its just too cold to get perfect voltage.

Has BMW done a full Energy Diagnosis?

At this point I would be asking BMW to calibrate the energy management system, then take it for a 45 drive.
Or diagnose the faulty sensor which measures battery amperage/use.

Also have you allowed the car to sit for more than 8-12 hours for the battery management to self calibrate?

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by killramos
I do not, but I should. Especially now that I have a new battery.

I DD it so it isn't usually an issue. But below -20 or so I start getting the nasty messages.

When I had my M3, I lost a battery after a year of owning the car (increased discharge etc etc) and after I replaced it with a new AGM unit and bought a $60 Noco Genius charger from Crappy Tire. I threw the car on the trickle charger every night even if I was planning to drive the car the next day. Had the car for 3 more years and didnt have any issues after that.

Best $60 I spent.

Do you also lock your doors when you park the car in the garage? If you keep it unlocked, you'll drain the battery as the car will never go into "sleep mode"

[killramos]

Car always locked so no worries there. And nope i did not let the car sit for 8-12 hours lol, i picked it up[ at 5 and drove it around for a couple hours with a few on-off's. Between the new battery and the new fuel pump smoothest starts it has had since i bought it.

No full energy diagnosis either. I don't think there is anything wrong with the car tbh, just flashes an increased battery discharge warning when i turn the car on or off then it goes about its business as if nothing is wrong.

Heck I only mentioned the battery to my SA in passing as i threw the keys at him for routine maintenance this morning.

It's going back in in April for an oil change anyways ( system wouldn't leet them do it today under inclusive maintenance lol ) so if its still flashing at me then I'll bring it up.

The other elephant in the room with my battery is that i have only put 26k km on it in 36 months. Short commutes.

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by killramos

The other elephant in the room with my battery is that i have only put 26k km on it in 36 months. Short commutes.

lol okay... a trickle charger is a must for your cars driving patterns...

If it's any consolation, all cars from all manufacturers would suffer the same faults if it was driven 8500kms per year.

[killramos]

:rofl:

Again, i was never convinced there was anything wrong.

[Hallowed_point]

Seems that most German cars @ work (Merc or BMW) run a trickle charger if they sit for more than a couple of days. It sounds silly, but better than waking up to a dead das auto.

[killramos]

Got to pay to play, if I want to be able to email google maps directions to my car from my phone I guess something needs to be staying awake in there :rofl:

I just ordered a ctek 4.3. Been wanting a charger for ages and this seems like as good an excuse as any to get one. This battery will outlast the ownership of the car at least.

Watch now my next car will have a lithium battery and I'll need a new charger lmao.

[Strider]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner
lol okay... a trickle charger is a must for your cars driving patterns...

If it's any consolation, all cars from all manufacturers would suffer the same faults if it was driven 8500kms per year.

Pretty much same driving patterns for me. Battery is fine except when it gets to -20° for more than 3 days in a row.


Originally posted by killramos
I just ordered a ctek 4.3. Been wanting a charger for ages and this seems like as good an excuse as any to get one.

Good choice, I've been using a ctek for about 3 years now. It's pretty much become standard procedure to trickle charge every 2-3 days when it's below -15° or if I'm going on vacation for 10 days or more.

[Sentry]

-20, zero block heater, zero fucks given. :dunno:
BVKoaUuLmik

[whatthe]

Who would you recommend to do a timing chain on N54 335xi?

I don't have time to do it myself these days, and really just looking to do a couple things before selling the car.

I asked for a price via Viteks website as I saw them recommended, but it's been about a week and haven't heard back. Anybody who is good and can reply a bit quicker?

[mr2mike]

Typically you don't need to do timing chains. Only tensioners and guides.
Not going to get any more money for this work performed.

Alpine Autowerks?

[jaylo]

Never leave a BMW unlocked when you park in your garage or overnight as it consumes more power getting everything "ready" VS locking/arming it.

Always lock/arm it, I never had issues with the battery and had the vehicle for 5 years with just oil and cabin filter changes. Granted it was only 50KM when I sold it.

[CMW403]

We took our 335i into Auto Rite Repair Centres in Crowfoot after the warranty ran out, for some reason we needed injectors.

They just recently did that so I will report back to this thread.



Who would you recommend to do a timing chain on N54 335xi?

I don't have time to do it myself these days, and really just looking to do a couple things before selling the car.

I asked for a price via Viteks website as I saw them recommended, but it's been about a week and haven't heard back. Anybody who is good and can reply a bit quicker?

[Euro838]

for some reason we needed injectors.

Why did you need injectors?

[Ekliptix]

Who would you recommend to do a timing chain on N54 335xi?

I don't have time to do it myself these days, and really just looking to do a couple things before selling the car.

I asked for a price via Viteks website as I saw them recommended, but it's been about a week and haven't heard back. Anybody who is good and can reply a bit quicker?
I just dropped $9,500 at Sheni's Auto Trend after they were recommended to me. Timing chain, guides, etc. Oil separator retrofit, new front suspension components, new rear shocks, etc.

They will get back to you quickly. You can decide if you're happy with the quote. I'm happy with their service. Ask for Zuhair.